Mallorca — Your Spanish holiday
paradise

Mallorca,
sometimes called "Majorca", is one of the beautiful, sun-filled Balearic
Islands, situated off the coast of Spain. It is actually the largest
island in the archipelago, which consists of Mallorca, Minorca, Ibiza and
Formentera.

While all the islands are
popular holiday destinations, possibly Mallorca is the most visited, particularly
by tourists from Germany, Ireland, the UK and Scandinavian countries.

Ranging from the capital
city, Palma (full name Palma
de Mallorca) all the way through to beautiful, traditional rural villages,
the island has quite literally something for everyone and you are never
far from the beaches and bracing sea air. Inland the scenery is simply
breathtaking.

Where to stay on Mallorca

Situated on the south coast
overlooking the Bay of Palma, the city has several modern hotels and tourist
resorts and the smaller towns on the island have accommodation ranging
from modern or charming rural hotels to more simple and traditional bed
& breakfast establishments. Of course all options offer access
to tempting local cuisine at the local restaurants and cafes.

Hotels
and resorts are not for everyone, of course, and if preferring to be more
self-sufficient and independent, holiday rental options are available all
over the island. Whether you prefer a villa
holiday, beachfront apartment or even an aparthotel close to the action,
you will be spoiled for choice. Just imagine, you could choose from
a huge range of gorgeous villas, complete with swimming pool and all the
trimmings - the ultimate home away from home!

There is always a supermarket
close by to stock up on essentials, or if you feel a little lazy, eat out
at a local restaurant.

What to eat on Mallorca

According to the Majorcan Tourist
Board, there are over 2,000 restaurants on the island, from the smaller
bar or cafe serving tapas to full-blown restaurants. Although Mallorca
is an island in the Mediterranean sea, surprisingly seafood is often imported.
The typical diet on the island includes locally grown almonds and olives
and favourite local dishes include "sobrassada" (a traditional raw, cured
sausage), "arros brut" (which is saffron rice cooked with pork, chicken
and vegetables), followed by a tasty local dessert, the sweet pastry "ensaïmada".

Of course, everything can
be washed down with an excellent glass of Spanish "vino" or a good, chilled
local beer.

What to see in Palma, Mallorca

When
visiting the capital city, there are several interesting sights including
"La Seu", the cathedral which was built on a the site of a former mosque.
The building was restored by the famous Barcelona architect, Antoni Gaudi
in 1901 and you can see his signature touches everywhere in the building.

The cathedral overlooks the
beautiful "Parc de la Mar" (or Park of the Sea in English), a pleasant
place to stroll.

The city itself varies from
the ancient to the modern, and the Old City, just behind the Cathedral,
makes up a maze of little streets, revealing a lot of the cities' Arab
heritage. In this area you can visit the Banys Àrabs, or Arab
Baths.

Getting there

Getting to the island is
relatively easy. You can fly into Palma de Mallorca Airport, or if you
have more leisure time, why not travel on a ferry from Barcelona.
On the island itself, taxis are readily available to take you around and
in the city, you can use the metro. The rail service offers transport
through to Inca, from where there single line to Manacor and Sa Pobla.